Chapter 20: Simply put.

A week had passed since the start of summer vacation.

I had nothing in particular to do, so I had already finished my assignments.

I had not talked to Mifuyu even once since the start of summer vacation.

However, the hot weather made me feel like going outside.

I was about to spend another day in vain.

Despite the fact that I should know this, I don’t want to take any action.

Well, I guess everyone is like that.

It’s just about lunch time.

….Let’s have a meal.

After finishing my lunch, I lay down on the floor.

They say that if you eat and sleep right away, it makes you fat, but it doesn’t make sense to me as a high school student.

While I was slumbering, the doorbell rang.

Is it a delivery?

I thought so and opened the front door.

“Y-yo, Yusei.”

What’s with that weird tone?

There was Himari standing there.

Himari is dressed in a pure white one-piece dress, and her fluffy, slightly unpigmented chestnut-colored hair is swaying in the wind, just above her shoulders.

As a childhood friend of mine, I think she’s cute, no kidding.

“So, what do you want?”

“Can’t I come here if I don’t have anything to do? We’re childhood friends, after all.”

“No, I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t have anything to do.”

“C-Come on now!”

What are you getting so worked up about?

Well, I’m not busy either.

“So? What are we going to do?”

“What are we gonna do?”

“Want to go upstairs?”

“Ehue?!”

What’s that voice?

“What, you’re not coming up?”

“S-sorry for the inconvenience!”

Himari replied cheerfully and took off her sandals, which were wrapped around her feet with several strings.

“Sit down right there. Let me give you something right now.”

“I don’t care. I’m the one who came over here.”

I didn’t listen to her words and took out a glass of cold water from the refrigerator.

“…..Eh? Isn’t barley tea usually used for this kind of thing?”

“If you have a problem with it, I’ll put it away.”

Then, as if in a panic, Himari said

“No complaints!”

And then she drank the water vigorously.

“~~~! I drank it all at once! My head hurts”

Himari struggled while holding her head.

What an idiot.

I was talking with Himari about nothing else for a while.

Then suddenly Himari’s voice became serious.

“Hey, Yusei.”

“What is it?”

“Are you in pain right now?”

I felt as if my heart was being nibbled.

“No? Nothing like that?”

“Really?”

Himari looked at me doubtfully.

“Yeah”

Yes, I’m not bitter.

I’m not in pain.

“If that’s the case, it’s fine…”

“If I was in pain, what would you have done?”

What am I asking her?

“Well, I don’t know. I might not be able to do anything.”

Well, I guess so.

“I see.”

But, added Himari, spinning her words.

“I can listen to what you have to say.”

I know.

I know how much it can be relieved just to be listened to.

“So, Yusei. If you’re having a hard time, you can always talk to me, okay?”

“Yeah.”

That’s all I could say.

I don’t want to talk to you about it.

[It’s what you love to do, so it can’t be hard.]

That’s right.

That’s what I like to do.

A little while later, she said.

“Well, I’m going to go home.”

“Yeah, see you.”

The awkwardness I had felt recently with Himari was already gone.

After all, a childhood friend may be an existence that can be forgiven.

However, this does not mean that I have forgiven Himari.

There is still a part of me deep in my heart that has yet to completely forgive Himari.

[You can’t forgive her that easily, now, can you?]